Simon Lightbody elevated to Cricket Australia National Umpire Panel

Former Cricket Australia (CA) Development Panel Umpire Simon Lightbody has been elevated to the National Umpiring Panel for season 2017/18

Simon Lightbody’s progression through the umpiring pathway began in Canberra in 2005/06 before making his First Grade debut the following season. In season 2011/12 Lightbody started officiating in Sydney whilst continuing to fulfil his ACT Premier Cricket appointments before joining the Sydney Premier Panel full time in 2012/13.

Throughout his pathway, Lightbody has been involved in several underage championships. He was appointed to the CA Under 17 Male National Championships in 2008/09, then appointed in five further CA Under 19 tournaments. In 2012, he officiated in five Under 19 International One-Day matches featuring Australia, England, New Zealand and India in Townsville. He was later appointed to an Under 19 International fixture in April 2015, this time between Australia and England at the WACA in a rare four-day fixture played under Test conditions.

In 2015/16, Lightbody was appointed to the Cricket Australia Development Umpire Panel and has since stood in several Toyota Futures League and Rebel WBBL fixtures around the country. In 2016, Lightbody was also a participant in the Australian Sports Commission National Officiating Scholarship program.

In season 2016/17 Lightbody took a significant step in his umpiring career. In October he first made his List-A debut in a Domestic One-Day Cup fixture between the Cricket Australia XI and Victoria at North Sydney Oval. Then on February 10 this year, he stood alongside Simon Fry in his First-Class debut in Hobart in the fixture between Tasmania and Western Australia.

Lightbody is now the first umpire hailing from Canberra to be appointed to the National Umpire Panel in its current form. He will begin the next step in his career as a member of the National Umpire Panel at next month’s JLT Domestic One-Day Cup, before turning his attention to the JLT Sheffield Shield and the KFC BBL|07 later in the year.